Are you still using the default start page built into Netscape
(Communicator or Navigator) or Microsoft's Internet Explorer?
Millions of us do exactly that. Ugghh. Know that you can--and
should--do better.

Naturally, both Microsoft and Netscape want to drive traffic to
themselves, so the defaults are set to do exactly that. But what
serves them doesn't necessarily serve you and, odds are, any of
hundreds of possible start pages--the page where a browser goes
when you first log on to the Net--will do more for you.

Case in point: A friend with an active Hotmail (http://www.hotmail.com) Web-based
e-mail account frequently just forgot to check that box, despite a
steady stream of incoming mail. That triggered grumbles, as clients
angrily asked why they were being ignored. But now she's
changed her start page so that whenever she logs on, she's at
Hotmail. This slight change has given her happier clients.

For myself, I use a highly customized "My Yahoo"
(http://www.yahoo.com) start
page, which gives me global news, business headlines and breaking
tech stories, plus a stock tracker, local weather, foreign currency
exchange rates, a selection of feature stories on small business
(including pieces from Entrepreneur and HomeOffice magazines)--even
(I must confess) lottery results. And I don't get a
"Chatroom Tracker," sports scores or TV listings,
although I could have all that and still more personalized content
on my start page, which I consider an "at a glance"
newspaper that contains only what I want.

My Yahoo isn't the only game in town. Excite (http://www.excite.com) also offers a
good, personalizable start page. Another strong option: NewsHub
(http://www.newshub.com),
which updates its headlines every 15 minutes--far more frequently
than Yahoo or Excite. Or get still more exotic. For instance, those
who follow Latino affairs might like StarMedia (http://www.starmedia.com), while an
auction aficionado would crave a start at eBay (http://www.ebay.com).

Sounds tempting? Here's how to change your start page:
First, surf over to the page you want to begin all Net sessions
with. Then, in Netscape, click "Edit, Preferences." On
the screen that pops up, look for the "Home Page" entry.
Below it, click "Use Current Page."

That's it--your start page is updated and from now on
you'll start every Net session with the information you really
want.

Robert McGarvey started exploring the online world over a
decade ago with Genie, and has been writing on--and complaining
about--the Net ever since. He writes about the Web for
Entrepreneur, BizTravel.com and Upside.